Time for The Brain

Now, just five and a half weeks before the battle for the Ashes begins, we have a voice of reason. For once - in contrast with my previous blog - The Brain has cut through the Bull and left no-one baffled.

Michael Vaughan, who in five years transformed himself from a century maker into the finest England captain of his generation, did the talking in The Sunday Telegraph, and for the first time this summer you knew every word made sense.

He believes:

England must have Monty Panesar ready to bowl with Graeme Swann at Cardiff where the pitch is rumoured to help spin.

The first day of what he expects to be a tight series may be "massive." The team that gets in front early will win the series.

"Stuart Broad is one of the best thinking bowlers I've ever had the chance to work with" and that he is a yard faster than in the Caribbean.

The Aussies will test Ravi Bopara with bouncers; Jimmy Anderson should be encouraged to take 30 wickets in the series.

Finally, logically and sensibly "I think we have a good chance but we are not favourites." There may be an element of BBB in that statement

It is almost comical that, like most batsmen, Vaughan believes the tail-end batting is crucial. It is a defence mechanism; "if I fail we need back-up". He is right to be afraid of the batting power of Mitchell Johnson low in the Australian order but if he were captain surely he would go for the bowler likely to take wickets rather than the bowler who might score 25.

And, yes, I do remember the Ashley Giles batting in 2005 and that Giles is now a selector.

He adds that he does not want the captaincy but that he is willing to bat anywhere to get into the team. He has four first class matches to prove he is still good enough.

As I have said repeatedly in this blog I trust he can find the runs because England need his class and - at least once - Andrew Strauss will need The Brain.